Polynitro trifluoromethyl amines



United States Patent 3,399,235 POLYNITRO TRIFLUOROMETHYL AMINES Milton B. Frankel, Menlo Park, Califi, assignor to Aerojet-General Corporation, Azusa, Calif., a corporation of Ohio No Drawing. Original application June 8, 1964, Ser. No. 374,234, now Patent No. 3,228,929, dated Jan. 11, 1966. Divided and this application Sept. 8, 1965, Ser. No. 529,622

5 Claims. (Cl. 260--583) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Compounds of the formula wherein A, and A, are lower alkylene radicals, and R, is selected from the group consisting of nitro and lower alkyl. These compounds are prepared by reacting novel compounds of the formula with a strong nitrating agent, wherein in the above formulae, A, and A, and R, are defined as above. The fluofine-containing starting material is prepared by reacting amine compounds of the formula C A,--NH,

with an allranol of the formula N02 R1( )-AiOH These compounds are inherently useful as explosives.

This application is a divisional application of Ser. No. 374,234, filed June 8, 1964 now U.S. Patent No. 3,228,- 929.

This invention pertains to a novel class of compounds containing a plurality of nitro groups, and to their method of preparation.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a group of novel polynitro compounds.

Another object of the present invention is to prepare a novel class of compounds which are especially useful in explosives.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide new synthesis techniques in the preparation of polynitro compounds.

These and other objects of my invention will be apparent from the detailed description which follows.

The polynitro compounds of the present invention are those containing the trifluoromethyl group and having the general formula:

wherein X, is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and nitro, A, and A, are lower alkylene, and R, is selected from the group consisting of nitro and lower alkyl. In the above formula when R, is lower alkyl, the group normally contains from 1 to about 6 carbon atoms such as methyl, ethyl, isopropyl and hexyl. The lower alkylene groups, A, and A, normally contain up to about 3,399,235 Patented Aug. 27, 1968 6 carbons. Typical of these alkylene groups are methylene, ethylene and hexamethylene.

The compounds of the above formula wherein X, is hydrogen are prepare din accordance with the following general reaction equation:

In Reaction 11 above, the free amine may be used or, alternatively, the amine hydrohalide, with the amine hydrochloride being preferred. Reaction II is ordinarily carried out in the presence of an inert polar solvent such as water or methanol at a temperature from about 20 C. to about C. For best results, both in terms of yield and reaction rate, this reaction is conducted in the presence of a basic material such as sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, calcium hydroxide or sodium acetate. While not critical, the amine and the alcohol reactants are usually employed in about stoichiometric amounts.

The nitration Reaction III is commonly carried out employing concentrated nitric acid at a temperature of from about 20 C. to about +20 C., preferably in the presence of acetic anhydride. Other strong nitrating agents such as nitrogen tetroxide may be used.

The products of Reactions II and III may be isolated in conventional manner such as by extraction, crystallization and/ or evaporation.

The following examples illustrate preparation of the compounds of Formula I:

EXAMPLE I Preparation of 1,1,1trifiuoro-S,5,5-trinitro-3azapentane To a solution of 1.36 grams (0.01 mole) of 2,2,2-trifiuoroethyl amine hydrochloride, 1.81 grams (0.01 mole) of trinitroethanol and 25 ml. of water was added dropwise a solution of 0.82 gram of sodium acetate in 10 ml. of water. A brown oil separated from the solution. The reaction mixture was extracted with 25 ml. of methylene chloride. The combined extracts were washed with water, dried, and concentrated to give 2.25 grams (85.9 percent) of 1,1,1trifluoro-S,5,S-trinitroQ-azapentane, 11,, 1.4260.

When the foregoing example is repeated using 3,3,3- trinitropropanol in lieu of 2,2,2-trinitroethanol, 1,1,1-trifluoro-6,6,6-trinitro-3-azahexane is obtained.

EXAMPLE II Preparation of 1,1,1-trifluoro-3,5,5,5-tetranitro-3- azapentane 1,1,l-trifiuoro-5,5,5-trinitro 3 azapentane, 2.25 grams (0.0086 mole), was dissolved in 20 ml. of acetic anhydride and added to 20 ml. of 99 percent nitric acid at 0 to 5 C. After stirring for 10 minutes, the solution be- EXAMPLE III Preparation of 1,1,1-trifiuoro-5,5-dinitro-3-azahexane lower ballistic mortar value. Inasmuch as high explosives containing the general structure:

tend to be very sensitive to impact and to possess poor thermal stability, it is especially noteworthy that the impact sensitivity of 1,1,1-trifluoro-3,5,5,5-tetranitro-3-aza- To a solution of 1.36 grams (0.01 mole) of 2,2,2-tri- 10 pentane is greater than 100 cm./ 2 kg.

TABLE I Compound Impact iii iir ii aifii l zfl l i s tig Sensitivity (TNT =100) Mortar Value (TNT 100) N O: N CH3CH1-I ICH2- NO2 50 158 154 (3,5,5,5-tetranitro3-azapentane) N03 N 0: C Fa-C H I ICH:( JN O: 100 104 146 (1,1,1-trlfiuor0-3,5,5,5-tetranltro-3-azapentane) N 0 g N 02 C F3CHa-I IC Hi (i k-CH3 100 113 127 fiuoroethyl amine hydrochloride, 1.5 grams (0.01 mole) of 2,2-dinitropropanol, and 25 ml. of water was added dropwise a solution of 0.4 gram (0.01 mole) of sodium hydroxide in ml. of water. A brown oil separated from the solution. The reaction mixture was extracted with 2 25 ml. of methylene chloride. The combined extracts were washed with water, dried, and concentrated to give 2.2 grams of 1,1,1 trifluoro 5,5 dinitro 3 azahexane, n 1.4188.

Upon repeating Example V using 4,4,4-trifluorobutyl amine instead of 2,2,2-trifluoroethyl amine hydrochloride, 1,1,1-trifluoro-7,7-dinitro-5-azaoctane is obtained in good yield.

EXAMPLE IV Preparation of 1,1,1-trifluoro-3,5,5-trinitro-3-azahexane 1,1,1 trifiuoro 5,5 dinitro 3 azahexane, 2.2 grams (0.0095 mole) was dissolved in 20 ml. of actetic anhydride and added to 20 ml. of 99 percent nitric acid at 0 to 5 C. After stirring for 10 minutes, the mixture was poured onto ice. The white solid was collected, washed with water, and dried, 2.05 grams (77.9 percent), MP. 81 to 82 C. Recrystallization from concentrated nitric acid raised the melting point to 85 to 87 C.

Analysis.-Calcd for C H F N O C, 21.75; H, 2.56; N, 20.29. Found: C, 22.16; H, 2.73; N, 20.07.

Some of the properties of the compounds for Examples II and IV are listed in the following table. For comparative purposes, the hydrogen analog of the compound of Example IV (3,5,5,5-tetranitro 3 azapentane) is also listed. In comparing the calculated lead block and ballistic mortar values of 1,1,1-trifluoro-3,5,5,5-tetranitro-3- azapentane and 3,5,5,5-tetranitro-3-azapentane, it is seen that 1,1,1-trifluoro-3,5,5,5 trinitro 3 azapentane has a slightly higher lead block value and a correspondingly The impact sensitivity numbers appearing in the table refer to the drop height in centimeters of a 2 kilogram weight at which 50 percent of the trials resulted in an explosion.

The new compounds of my invention, which contain a plurality of nitro groups, are inherently useful as high explosives. These compounds can also be used in any conventional explosive missile, projectile, rocket, or the like, as the main explosive charge. An example of such a missile is disclosed in United States Patent 2,470,162, issued May 17, 1949. One way of using these high explosive compounds in a device, such as disclosed in United States Patent 2,470,162, is to pack the explosive in powder form into the warhead of the missile. Alternatively, the compound may be first pelletized and then packed. The liquid compounds can be first absorbed on cotton or sawdust, and then compacted. A charge thus prepared is sufiiciently insensitive to withstand the shock entailed in the ejection of a shell from a gun barrel or a rocket launching tube under the pressure developed from ignition of a propellant charge and can be caused to explode on the operation of an impact or time-fuse mechanism firing a detonating explosive such as lead azide or mercury fulminate.

It will be understood that various modifications may be made in this invention without departing from the spirit thereof or the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. Compounds of the formula:

R is selected from the group consisting of nitro and lower alkyl.

5 6 2. The compound 1,1,1 trifluoro 5,5,5-trinitro-3-aza- References Cited pentane. UNITED STATES PATENTS 3. Th 0 d 1,1,1 trifl oro-3,5,5,5-tet n't 0-3- azapemaimf mpmn u m 1 r 2,978,507 4/1961 Frankel et a1 260-583 4. The compound 1,1,1 trifluono 5,5 dinitro 3-aza- 5 3,000,949 9/1961 Frankel et a1 260583 hexane.

5. The compound 1,1,1 trifiuoro 3,5,S-trinitro-3-aza- CHARLES PARKER Primary Examiner hexane. R. L. RAYMOND, Assistant Examiner. 

